Kevin Staake’s 10-minute doc Dieorama invites us to spend a brief moment in her world and take a closer look at her tiny blood-splattered creations.

Inspired to create Dieorama after his brother Ryan (director of that notorious Young Thug Music Video) purchased a piece of Abigail’s art at a gallery in NYC, Staake knew a documentary about her unusual craft would be a “slam dunk” after he heard about her backstory. Admitting to be “shocked and confused but madly intrigued” by the piece (which showed a pristine suburban yard, but with someone being cut in half with a lawn mower at its centre), the director set out to create a film which explores the connection between his subject’s day job, as an investigator for a public defender’s office in Washington state, and her passion for creating death-themed miniatures.

Technically, Dieorama is a solid piece. The tilt shift shots, though a little cliche, feel perfectly placed in context with the film’s subject and those extreme close-ups really make you feel immersed in Goldman’s artwork. So what makes this short stand-out from the hundreds of other portrait docs regularly released online? Simple, it’s all about the story! With this film, Staake has created a relatable and entertaining piece which appeals to our fascination with death. It’s not often you watch such a morbid piece and walk away charmed, but that’s exactly what happens here. For once a film about death didn’t make me want to curl-up in a ball and ignore the inevitable and for that I thank you Kevin.

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